NEWS

Elon Musk’s Starlink has lost dozens of satellites that were caught in a geomagnetic storm a day after they were launched

DETAILS

WHAT IS GEOMAGNETIC/SOLAR STORM:

• Magnetic plasma
• Ejected at great speed from the solar surface
• Occur during the release of magnetic energy associated with sunspots
• Can last for a few minutes or hours
• Travel at millions of miles an hour

HOW DOES IT AFFECT EARTH

• Not all solar flares reach Earth
• Hit operations of space-dependent services like global positioning systems (GPS), radio, and satellite communications
• Create disturbances in the magnetosphere
• Astronauts on spacewalks face health risks

WHAT ARE SUN SPOTS – ‘Dark’ regions on the Sun that are cooler than the surrounding photosphere